1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communications equipment such as a mobile phone, and more specifically to a mobile phone having a display unit and an operation unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile communications equipment is represented by mobile phones which have been widespread at an amazingly high speed. Various devices have been expanded to downsize a mobile phone and enhance its operability. FIG. 9 is an oblique view of a conventional folding mobile phone. The conventional mobile phone shown in FIG. 9 includes an upper housing portion 18 and a lower housing portion 19, and the upper housing portion 18 contains a display unit 29, a speaker 23, and a camera 28. On the other hand, the lower housing portion 19 contains operation buttons 21 for various operations and a microphone 22 for input of user's voice. The two housing portions 18 and 19 are connected such that they can be rotated by a hinge unit 20. When the mobile phone generates text mail, the user necessarily holds the lower housing portion 19 with one hand, and operates the mobile phone with the thumb of the hand.
FIG. 10 shows and example of a conventional mobile information terminal. In the conventional mobile information terminal shown in FIG. 10, a main unit 33 having operation keys 32 on the surface 31 of the unit 33 is connected to a display unit 35 having a display 34 for displaying information such that they can be rotated about a rotation axis through a connection unit 36. The connection unit 36 is arranged between two separate operation key areas 37 and 38 with the rotation axis line set orthogonal to the surface 31. Thus, the number of operation keys can be increased as necessary with the portability maintained, and the operability can be enhanced (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-57771).
FIG. 11 shows another example of a conventional mobile information terminal. The conventional mobile information terminal shown if FIG. 11 includes a display unit housing portion 42 having a display unit 41, and an operation unit housing portion 44 having an operation unit 43. The end portion of the display unit housing portion 42 is connected to the end portion of the operation unit housing portion 44 through a connection member 45 with the surface of the display unit 41 of the display unit housing portion 42 facing the same direction as the surface of the operation unit 43 of the operation unit housing portion 44, and the display unit housing portion 42 and the operation unit housing portion 44 can be rotated about the rotation axis of the connection member 45 (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-158758).
However, the conventional mobile phone shown in FIG. 9 requires a considerably long time to generate long text using a thumb only, thereby failing in quickly performing a process. especially, in an urgent and complicated business use, the conventional mobile phone is furthermore inconvenient. In the conventional mobile information terminal shown in FIG. 10, the number of operation keys can be increased, but the operation surface cannot be folded while the terminal is not being used, thereby possibly causing the problem of failing in downsizing. Furthermore, in the conventional mobile information terminal shown in FIG. 11, the display unit and the operation unit can be rotated using the connection member, but there is the problem that the terminal is not suitable in operation with both hands.